


Totally a Two-Person Job

by PinkPandorafrog



Series: Advent Calendar 2017 [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aromantic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 23:30:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12922530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkPandorafrog/pseuds/PinkPandorafrog
Summary: Did Thor just say he ships it?





	Totally a Two-Person Job

**Author's Note:**

> December 5's prompt is Christmas lights!

Any irritation Darcy felt about having to  _ feed _ five extra bodies with warrior appetites and loud inside voices (except Hogun) kind of vanished when it was time to decorate. It meant lots of extra hands, and also tall people who could easily reach things like ceilings and doorframes and the top shelf of the closet where all of the Christmas shit was kept.

Thor had sort of taken over. It was something he did a lot, especially when it came to the Warriors Three (and Sif). But he was used to being their general, so it sort of made sense. And he was good at delegating.

He’d been up all night on YouTube watching people put their shit up or whatever, so he knew the basics of how it worked. Whatever. Darcy wasn’t in the mood to argue, and Jane was just too tickled pink about Sif being there that she wasn’t going to.

“Darcy,” Thor said, his blue eyes sweeping over her. “Hogun is checking the holiday lights to ensure they are sound. Perhaps you would join him.” His voice was solemn, but he actually  _ winked _ at her.

It was tempting. Spending more time with Hogun was definitely tempting. But… “It’s kind of a one-person job, and I really should get started on some baking.” Not all of the baking, of course, but it kind of seemed a shame to have the decorations up without having shortbread to munch on.

“If you help him with the lights, I’m sure he’d help you with your baking.” He rested his hands on his hips, and he had  _ that _ look on his face, that  _ I’m a prince and I know better _ look. He hardly wore it anymore, but he was now.

“Or I could get started now?” She folded her arms.

He looked around before taking a step closer, and his next words were a murmur. “I know that you would very much like to give each other a  _ hand _ .” Another wink. “I… ship it.” Almost a question, like he was trying it on for size. He seemed to consider his words for a moment, then nodded.

She took a breath to say something, but… There really weren’t words for that. She had literally nothing to say. It wasn’t like he was  _ wrong _ , at least not on her part, but he just said he shipped it.

He took her gently by the shoulders and turned her towards the stairs. His hand landed a gentle swat on her butt. “Go.”

She started moving, but she looked over her shoulder at him. What even was that? He’d already turned away, off to manage the next thing. “What the fuck?” she whispered.

The decorations were in the hall closet at the top of the stairs, and Hogun had commandeered one of the hall outlets. There was a strand of lights plugged in, and he was dutifully making sure each one along the strand lit up like it was supposed to.

He looked up as she crested the stairs, and his face relaxed. “Darcy.”

“Hey. Thor thinks you need some help.”

He gestured to the tangle of lights behind him. “It is a lot to manage for one person.”

“Sure.” Darcy went down the hall to sit on the renter’s-beige carpet beside him. “I wanted to get the cookies on, but he figured that if I helped you with this, you could help me with the cookies after.”

“Of course.” He handed her the end of the strand of lights he was looking at, and she started coiling it up as he looked it over. “What do you need?”

She pursed her lips as she thought about it. “Honestly, I don’t know. Mixing the dough’s kind of a one-person job. Rolling and cutting, though…”

“With a knife?” He actually looked a little eager at that.

Darcy’s eyebrows went up. “Woah, calm down, cowboy. That sounds like a fucked up countertop to me. We use cookie cutters. I’ll show you, I’ve got a bunch.” She motioned with her head towards the stairs.

“What happens with these?” Hogun asked after a couple of seconds. “Thor didn’t say, just that they needed to be tested.”

“The big ones go outside around the windows and along the roof and shit.” It was going to be weird trying to put lights on one half of a duplex, but whatever. “The little ones go inside. Some go on the tree, some go up on the walls.”

“This seems to be quite a lot of lights.” He unplugged the strand from the wall and grabbed a handful of green wiring.

“It is.” She made a face. “I like them. I dunno, you plug them in, turn off the lights, and everything kinda feels like it’ll be okay.” Even if it wouldn’t.

“You must show me.”

“Yeah, of course. Oh, those ones sing, too.” Darcy gave a sheepish smile at the look of question on his face. “That box, press the little round button.” She pointed to the plastic box up near the plug.

He did, and tinny Christmas music filled the hall.

She made a face. “I know, it’s cheesy as hell. But I couldn’t help it. That dial, you can make them blink in time with the music, too.”

He turned the dial. The lights started whirring audibly as they winked in and out in time with the 8-bit music. He watched for a moment before hitting the button again. “It is charming.”

“It’s cheesy as fuck, but I think if there’s any time to be a little cheesy…” She rifled through the strand, trying to find the end. “Do you have anything like this on Asgard?”

“Not on Asgard, no.” He went hunting for it, too, and in came up with it in just a second. His fingers brushed hers as he handed it to her. “Nor on Vanaheim. Maybe I’ll have to bring some back with me, if they are truly as enchanting as you say.”

“Hang on. Unplug those.” Darcy pushed herself to her feet, the strand of lights in her hand. She was just a few steps away from the door to her bedroom, and she turned the knob and went inside. “Come on. Bring those and close the door.”

Hogun was up behind her, and in just a second the door was closed behind him. There was a question on his face as he looked at her.

Darcy looked around for an unoccupied outlet. The one by the door had her phone charger, but there was one by the closet. “Here, let me have that end.” They traded ends, and she plugged it in. “Hit the lights.”

The room went dark, save for the multi-colored lights. It was still daytime, but the black-out curtain over her window did a pretty good job of blocking out the the winter sun. She put the lights down on the floor and rested her hands on her hips. “There. It’s kinda not the full effect because they’re all in a bunch on the floor.”

Hogun put down the end he was holding, too, and looked down at them. “It’s like the world is smaller.”

“That’s it, that’s what it is.” She turned to him and smiled. “Like we’re the only two people, but it’s okay.”

He crossed the room to stand just behind her. His hand settled on her hip gently, almost questioningly.

She leaned back against him. He wasn’t as tall as any of his friends, but that meant her head went back on his shoulder instead of his chest. She was totally okay with that.

His other hand slid across her waist, coming to rest over the soft curve of her stomach. She swore she felt the touch of his mouth on her shoulder where the collar of her shirt left it bare, but there was a booming voice out in the hall. “Darcy? Hogun? Are the outdoor lights finished?”

Darcy let out a sigh as the moment shattered. “Yeah, hang on,” she called back.

“Until later,” Hogun murmured, his lips brushing against the curve of her ear, before he pulled away. It sounded very much like a promise.


End file.
